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Our new branch at Bosley is now open!

Campey Turf Care Systems is one of world’s largest independent sports turf and ground care machinery suppliers, distributing innovative sports turf maintenance equipment. The company has been based in Marton, Cheshire, for over 40 years, earning a reputation for offering practical advice and superb aftercare service.

The company is now delighted to have opened a new branch in Bosley and Chairman Richard Campey extends a warm welcome to everyone to view the latest new and used tractors, machinery, new mowers, strimmer’s, chainsaws, parts, and clothing, from renowned names such as New Holland, Echo, Dennis, Trimax and Granit.

“This is a new venture for us,” declares Richard “We are expanding into areas of agriculture, horticulture, and professional landscaping with new product ranges to appeal to a wider, more diverse user. Please come along and take a look at what we are offering. If you can make it on our Open Day, the 17^{th of} June from 2pm, you can and enjoy our hospitality too!” To register attendance go to

 Richard Campey was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) in 2011. He has spent the past 40 years building a successful company developing and supplying quality machinery for natural turf renovation and maintenance. Equally important is his pro-active approach to educating groundsmen and women in promoting a strategy of best practice. He is a great advocate for promoting the best possible sports surfaces across all walks of life and all levels of sport, collaborating particularly closely with his local clubs and local authorities in the Cheshire and surrounding areas.

The company also has a thriving used machinery business and a subsidiary company, Tines Direct, which supplies replacement tines, blades, and replacement parts for a wide range of turf care machinery.

So come and speak to one of our experienced friendly team who will offer the help and advice on machinery and equipment you need.

More information is available at www.campeyturfcare.com

Find us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/campeys

Follow us on Twitter – @CampeyTurfCare

Follow us on Instagram – @campeyturfcare

Watch us on YouTube www.youtube.com/CampeyMachinery

NewsMay 24th, 20220 comments

Change of careers leads to the home of golf for John Deere award winner

A dramatic change of careers paid off for SRUC student Ben Matthews, after his tutors unanimously named him the winner of this year’s HNC Golf Course Management Student of the Year Award, sponsored by John Deere and Scottish turf dealer Double A.

Born in London, but raised in Canada from the age of three, Ben moved to Scotland in 2014. He worked in health and social care in both Canada and Scotland for 20 years in total before realising it was time for a change.

“Since moving back to Scotland I had been helping children in crisis situations as an advocate, ensuring they had a voice,” Ben says. “It was amazing work and I loved it, but I started to burn out – I couldn’t switch off from worrying about the children I was working with.”

Initially Ben studied for a master’s degree in Sustainable Resource Management at the University of Edinburgh.

“If I could, I decided I wanted to turn the degree into a job where I could work outdoors while protecting the environment,” he explains.

It was a chance sighting while passing the SRUC campus one day that led to him pursuing a career in golf course management.

“I’ve always been a fan of golf and although I’ve never been any good, I do enjoy playing it,” he says.

“I was driving past the SRUC Elmwood campus one day and they had a big banner outside which read ‘have you thought about a career in greenkeeping?’.

“I ended up calling them and going to see Paul Miller, the course programme leader, and everything he told me about it ticked all the boxes.”

Ben enjoyed the variety of subjects taught on the course, even those he initially assumed would be less interesting, such as soil science.

“I thought it would be dry, but Dr Miller made it really interesting, teaching us everything we would need to know as a turf manager,” he says. “I also loved learning about design and construction.

“I’ve been to a few universities and colleges, and this was by far my best experience – the tutors are all phenomenal.”

Ben has since secured a position as a seasonal greenkeeper for the St Andrews Links Trust.

“I only live 25 minutes away so it seemed silly not to try for a position at the home of golf,” he says.

“I’m lucky enough to be working on the old course, where golf has been played for 600 years, so every day is like Christmas Day for me at the moment!”

Ben is enjoying focusing on the practical side of greenkeeping and looks forward to building up his experience and skills.

“I’ve been absolutely blown away by the greenkeeping community – everyone is so supportive and welcoming,” he says. “It’s the type of industry where if you’re having a problem, you can call someone at another golf course and they will lend you equipment or recommend a product. It’s such a tightly knit and positive community. I’m so happy to be in it.”

Ben is currently busy preparing the famous St Andrews’ course for the 150^th Open this summer.

“I don’t think I could be in a better place to start my career and I’m so grateful to SRUC and so happy to have won this award,” he says. “Finding out I had won really cemented that I’d done the right thing in changing careers and that all my hard work has paid off.”

Course Tutor Ian Butcher says: “Ben has been a very positive member of the faculty throughout a period of change and transformation, and all the staff welcome his contribution to our classes whether they are online or on campus.

“Ben has, like many of our HND cohorts, decided to change career, from the Health and Social Care sector and he also previously completed an MSc Degree in Sustainable Resource Management. This provided Ben with a strong foundation for our own curriculum as we address the challenges golf faces in the 21st century.

“He has very strong team building background and has also shown strong communication skills with industry professionals, as well as adaptability to new situations. In 2021 he was awarded the R&A Greenkeeping Scholarship, which again adds to his perspective on the golf world as a whole.

“Without doubt his keenness to learn and enthusiasm for golf course management leads to the consistently high standard of submissions and capacity to explore new ideas. We look forward to supporting his new career as it continues with the St Andrews Links Trust in the Open Championship year of 2022.”

NewsMay 24th, 20220 comments

Is there a crisis in golf greenkeeping? BIGGA launches major survey to find out more

The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has launched an industry-wide survey that will quantify information relating to a perceived ‘crisis’ within the greenkeeping and wider golfing sector.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that golf clubs are struggling to fill available vacancies, particularly in the greenkeeping department. Reasons generally put forward for this include the requirement to work anti-social hours, lack of appreciation and a relatively low entry salary. However, for those who do embark upon a career in greenkeeping, the positives are many.

This survey is crucial as it is vital the scale of the challenge is quantified, as well as the key drivers for the issues. Effective golf club staff are critical to the health and growth of the sport as they strongly influence the experience of golfers on a day-to-day basis.

As BIGGA seeks to fulfil its overarching ambition of creating a more positive working environment for the UK’s greenkeepers, BIGGA hopes the hard data from the survey will enable the association to positively guide the broader golf industry.

Head greenkeepers, course managers and other members of the turf management team at golf clubs are invited to complete the survey. Only one response is required per golf club. The survey can be completed online at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2VZ52PH

BIGGA has requested the support of partner organisations with regards this research and will publish the results in full when the periods for submissions has closed.

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “With the ongoing cost of living crisis at the forefront of our minds and the COVID-19 pandemic having caused many people to consider their priorities, the golf industry faces a very real challenge to engage sufficient staff at club level, to effectively deliver the sport to the nation’s five million regular golfers. Participation in the sport is booming at just the time that recruiting and retaining greenkeeping staff is at its most challenging. It is vital the golf industry – utilising real data – considers positive solutions to the ongoing labour issues.

“We encourage all our members to respond to this survey, which we believe will benefit all greenkeepers and golf club staff.”

NewsMay 13th, 20220 comments

Rain Bird Appoints Golf Sales Specialist for Spain and Portugal and Regional Sales Manager Southwest Europe

Two new recruits to Rain Bird Europe this spring are Julien Guigny (above) as Regional Sales Manager Southwest Europe and Daniel Sanchez (below) as Golf Sales Specialist Spain and Portugal.

Daniel Sanchez

Julien Guigny, MBA, has over fifteen years’ international sales and business development experience in industrial healthcare, pharmaceutical, aeronautical and energy markets across Southern Europe gained during a career at Sontara, Laboratoires Anios – Soluscope, and Berry Plastics Group. Living in France, he is an aviation enthusiast and also enjoys trail running, mountain biking, cycling and swimming.

Madrid-based Daniel Sanchez, a Bachelor of Electronic Communication, re-joins Rain Bird after the past five years at LogisticH2O where his focus was the effective installation and operation of Rain Bird irrigation system technology. Prior to this, he spent a decade as a Rain Bird field service engineer providing valuable technical support to customers and distributors.

Tina Baumgartner, Europe Sales Manager Golf at Rain Bird Europe comments: “Julian and Daniel are joining Rain Bird at an exciting time as technology is developing fast, helping our golf customers address the challenges of water management. They both have valuable customer service as well as varied technical expertise across many sectors and territories and we’re looking forward to welcoming them into the European team.”

Contact details:

Julien Guigny, Regional Sales Manager Southwest Europe

M + 33 60 87 69 789

jguigny@rainbird.eu

Daniel Sanchez, Golf Sales Specialist Spain and Portugal

M +34 67 85 59 656

dsanchez@rainbird.eu

NewsMay 13th, 20220 comments

INTERNATIONAL GREENKEEPERS HAIL NEW LINKS COURSE AT LA HACIENDA DURING FEGGA CONFERENCE

Members of The Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Association (FEGGA) travelled from 15 countries across the globe to check out the transformation of La Hacienda Alcaidesa Links Golf Resort, formerly known as Alcaidesa, as part of its three-day annual conference.

FEGGA serves as the umbrella body for the national greenkeeping associations in Europe with its members and key partners gathering at La Hacienda to discuss key initiatives and challenges facing the industry, as well as learning about the multi-million investment project currently in progress at the 36-hole Spanish venue.

La Hacienda’s head greenkeeper, Raúl Tineo Brea, and course architect, Kurtis Bowman, discussed the exciting plans for the new Links Course, which has been completely reconfigured and redesigned, before attendees were able to enjoy a tour of the layout and signature holes.

As part of the conference, members also dined in Sal Verde, the recently-opened restaurant in La Hacienda’s renovated clubhouse.

Dean Cleaver, Executive Officer of FEGGA, said: “We’d like to thank La Hacienda for having us and for its exceptional hospitality.

“There’s no better compliment than from the experts of the industry and some of the best greenkeepers in Europe, and all of them had positive things to say about the facilities and new Links Course.

“We were all in agreement that it’s now going to be in the conversation for one of the best golf courses in Spain and has catapulted it into amongst Europe’s elite. We are still getting our breath back after seeing some of the stunning views over the ocean and Rock of Gibraltar!”

Located in the Cadiz municipality of San Roque, close to Sotogrande, the Links Course is scheduled to open in June 2022 and will run along the beachfront with spectacular views of the Mediterranean, Gibraltar and Africa.

The contemporary clubhouse, driving range and practice area have already been completed ahead of the golf course reopening this summer, while the development of a five-star hotel with 150 rooms, halfway house with restaurant, 51 luxury villas and a beach club will mark the next phase of the project and La Hacienda’s elevation to a flagship venue and golf destination in Southern Europe.

FEGGA is a not-for-profit organisation formed in 1996 with a view of promoting the profession and helping greenkeepers through educational programmes and environmental policies, resulting in the highest standard of course conditions and professionalism across the continent.

NewsMay 1st, 20220 comments